Mira Darling’s ‘Fucking Trans Women #0 ” is one of the most brilliant zines I’ve ever read (and coming from this old zinester that’s saying something). It is 80 pages of sexy smart text and art that is not to be missed. The zine is currently only available digitally – I read my copy while in airports over the last week : ) and at $5 is very, very reasonable for the length and quality.
In her bio Mira describes herself as a 28-year-old trans dyke and student. She is a femme, a queer, a dork, a cocksucker, and lots of other things. Her interests include the history of medicine, the 1920’s, literature, masculinity as cultural narratives, homos, conversation, and history of eugenics and racism. She reads comic books and can’t take the cold. (be on the lookout I’m going to do a spotlight interview with Mira very very soon)
I especially loved and appreciated how ‘Fucking Trans Women’ spoke candidly about technical aspects of the way she finds sex to be pleasurable including diagrams and step-by-step instructions. I was equally drawn into the honesty with which Mira spoke about the emotional sides of relating to her body, connecting with partners, and her understanding of sex itself. Interspersed was biting and super smart commentary about why as a queer (and specifically dyke) community we are so much less welcoming of trans women than trans men, and the ways in which we frame the sexuality and erotic appeal of trans women and trans men very differently.
Mira considers this zine #0 with the intention that future issues will include stories and perspectives from other trans women. I know that I for one will be waiting eagerly for the next issues! You can learn more about the zine (and purchase your copy) at www.fuckingtranswomen.com
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- Tell-tale Signs a Queer Femme is Queer - March 4th, 2011
Beware!
This puts it on your paypal account as a payment to "fuckingtranswoman.com"
NOT COOL...
Come on. You need to put some degree of PRIVACY in there.
Frankly, I'm furious that you set this up in this manner. How very, very uncool.
Now what? Will this also show up on my BANK STATEMENT when paypal takes the money from my bank?
Words can't express my anger over this ignorant disregard for privacy. >:-(
Dear Dee,
As a trans woman I am so glad that "fuckingtranswomen.com" comes up on my paypal. I would feel betrayed if they felt the need to hide who they are.
But I can understand how some people might be put at some level of risk. But if you were that concerned you should have asked them first or looked for further information about how it would appear on your statement.
Pony
As a trans woman, I agree with Dee. It's not an issue of hiding who they are -- it's an issue of respecting the PRIVACY of their customers. You may find this hard to believe, but not all trans women are OUT to the world. Are you seriously suggesting they should discriminate against these women? That's disgusting. Thanks for the warning, Dee!
Regardless, this zine is amazing. As a trans woman I find it frustrating that there is so little information out there regarding trans bodies and sex, especially for women. This zine is an important departure from the heterosexual paradigm, of penis in vagina sex, which normally dominates all discussion of sex, and safe sex practices. Mira has done an amazing job of not only bringing to light a few of the little known sexual practices that can be pleasurable for trans women, but also in opening up a much needed dialogue on the variety of ways that trans women and their partners can relate to their bodies sexually, in a consensual, mutual, and protected way.
Those who objected to the descriptor giving "fuckingtranswomen.com" as the name of the vendor--I hope you let Mira Bellwether know about this directly. If she doesn't know about it, it won't get fixed.
That said, I'm grateful for this zine, in part because it helped clarify that a few of the things I had been doing just in exploring my body were things other trans women were doing, and explained why they were enjoyable. That alone was worth every cent I paid for the zine, and I hope tht I can contribute content in the future. This dialog is long overdue and I'm glad it's finally starting.